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April 7, 2009 7:33 AM Subscribe
Indeed, all three of Hitler’s prized leather whips were presents from high society ladies. : Christopher Clark reviews High Society in the Third Reich by Fabrice d’Almeida in the London Review Of Books.
It was not that our grim guest had been unclean, or fouled the room in the way that so often happens in a Bavarian village.
I'm not going to say that the unclean essence of a monstrosity is any picnic, but in fact that may not have been the issue here after all.
posted by stupidsexyFlanders at 7:39 AM on April 7, 2009 [2 favorites]
I'm not going to say that the unclean essence of a monstrosity is any picnic, but in fact that may not have been the issue here after all.
posted by stupidsexyFlanders at 7:39 AM on April 7, 2009 [2 favorites]
Clemens von Franckenstein.
Pronounced "Fronk-en-steen," presumably.
posted by octobersurprise at 7:41 AM on April 7, 2009
Pronounced "Fronk-en-steen," presumably.
posted by octobersurprise at 7:41 AM on April 7, 2009
I'm not going to say that the unclean essence of a monstrosity is any picnic, but in fact that may not have been the issue here after all.
The protoypical gas chamber, apparently.
posted by Inspector.Gadget at 7:41 AM on April 7, 2009
The protoypical gas chamber, apparently.
posted by Inspector.Gadget at 7:41 AM on April 7, 2009
Link above also may explain:
his attractiveness lay precisely in his louche, somewhat uncouth manners and the ‘aroma of adventure’ that surrounded him.
posted by stupidsexyFlanders at 7:43 AM on April 7, 2009
his attractiveness lay precisely in his louche, somewhat uncouth manners and the ‘aroma of adventure’ that surrounded him.
posted by stupidsexyFlanders at 7:43 AM on April 7, 2009
"Göring, whose many titles included Reich Master of the Hunt, stalked stags with groups of dignitaries, and a hunting party led by Himmler went on a killing spree at Joachimshof in the autumn of 1938, shooting rabbits, hares, foxes, buzzards, deer, birds of prey and anything else they could set their sights on – miraculously, the beaters escaped unharmed."
They knew better than to invite Cheney...
posted by HuronBob at 7:48 AM on April 7, 2009
They knew better than to invite Cheney...
posted by HuronBob at 7:48 AM on April 7, 2009
There was no need for Hitler to assimilate himself to the social norms of his hosts, for his attractiveness lay precisely in his louche, somewhat uncouth manners and the ‘aroma of adventure’ that surrounded him.
Yes, I'm sure it had nothing to do with integrating business interests and government, which is the very definition of "fascism".
The article hints at that later, but never comes out and says it that I saw. I guess the parallels to the present day preclude that.
posted by DU at 7:50 AM on April 7, 2009
Yes, I'm sure it had nothing to do with integrating business interests and government, which is the very definition of "fascism".
The article hints at that later, but never comes out and says it that I saw. I guess the parallels to the present day preclude that.
posted by DU at 7:50 AM on April 7, 2009
Huron, I love that quote. Not satisfied with killing off whole populations of people and countries, they also wandered around nature killing every living thing they saw. For fun.
posted by The Whelk at 7:52 AM on April 7, 2009
posted by The Whelk at 7:52 AM on April 7, 2009
You know who else--oh, never mind.
Devo. The answer is Devo.
posted by Blazecock Pileon at 7:56 AM on April 7, 2009 [2 favorites]
Devo. The answer is Devo.
posted by Blazecock Pileon at 7:56 AM on April 7, 2009 [2 favorites]
So wait, this group of Germans that believe that some people (themselves) are inherently superior to all others because of their genetics joined the Nazi Party because Hitler came and farted in their parlor and not because they agreed with his rants that basically stated the above to the point that German elites could feel free to actually murder the subhumans that politically disagreed with their obvious superiority or who falsely made a case for others as the Chosen People?
Yes, Hitler was mesmerizing as a speaker, it must have been his personality and not the racism of the listeners that drew them to him in droves.
posted by Pollomacho at 8:03 AM on April 7, 2009 [1 favorite]
Yes, Hitler was mesmerizing as a speaker, it must have been his personality and not the racism of the listeners that drew them to him in droves.
posted by Pollomacho at 8:03 AM on April 7, 2009 [1 favorite]
Thank you, Manly Chicken, for saying better and more accurately than I did (would German nobility even own that many businesses?) what I meant.
posted by DU at 8:12 AM on April 7, 2009
posted by DU at 8:12 AM on April 7, 2009
Every woman adores a Fascist,
The boot in the face, the brute
Brute heart of a brute like you.
- Sylvia Plath
posted by Joe Beese at 8:48 AM on April 7, 2009
The boot in the face, the brute
Brute heart of a brute like you.
- Sylvia Plath
posted by Joe Beese at 8:48 AM on April 7, 2009
all three of Hitler’s prized leather whips were presents from high society ladies.
i'm no psychologist, but then, sometimes you don't have to be.
posted by msconduct at 8:56 AM on April 7, 2009 [2 favorites]
i'm no psychologist, but then, sometimes you don't have to be.
posted by msconduct at 8:56 AM on April 7, 2009 [2 favorites]
Very interesting. Insofar as it seems to chip away a little at the 'great man' theory and cult of personality that still surrounds Hitler -- one that imbues him with a sort of irresistible animal magnetism that his followers were unable to resist -- I think it's a step in the right direction.
posted by Kadin2048 at 8:57 AM on April 7, 2009 [1 favorite]
posted by Kadin2048 at 8:57 AM on April 7, 2009 [1 favorite]
The comprehensiveness of their infiltration of (German) society is/was one of their many very impressive (if in many cases despicable) accomplishments.
I can't wait to read the book comparing the political environments of Millenial America with Germany in the thirties. And I mean that fare less provocatively than it might sound. The rebulicans were past-masters at courting the rich will making the poor feel they were the real point of the party. It's an interesting and surprisingly effective tactic for simultaneously coalescing money and political weight.
posted by From Bklyn at 9:29 AM on April 7, 2009
I can't wait to read the book comparing the political environments of Millenial America with Germany in the thirties. And I mean that fare less provocatively than it might sound. The rebulicans were past-masters at courting the rich will making the poor feel they were the real point of the party. It's an interesting and surprisingly effective tactic for simultaneously coalescing money and political weight.
posted by From Bklyn at 9:29 AM on April 7, 2009
That was quite interesting. Out of curiosity, it mentions that Hitler gave his paintings as gifts. Are they considered to be valuable art?
posted by dios at 9:34 AM on April 7, 2009
posted by dios at 9:34 AM on April 7, 2009
Hitler lets his ladies whip the naughty boys while layin down the beats. A Mel Brooks production.
posted by Glibpaxman at 10:00 AM on April 7, 2009
posted by Glibpaxman at 10:00 AM on April 7, 2009
Hilter's paintings to be auctioned in U.K
Auction house denies that Hitler Paintings are fake.
One explanation may be that they are some of the Hitler “originals” painted by other artists trying to make a buck as he became one of the most prominent politicians in Germany toward the end of the 1920s and into the 1940s. Such paintings brought in up to 10,000 Reichsmarks, the paper said.
Mullock’s does not expect to make much on the sale of Hitler’s artwork, however. “I put very modest estimates on them,” Westwood-Brookes said. “I’ve got estimates of as low as 400 pounds up to 1,000 pounds.” Mullock’s historical expert added that he had been contacted by numerous experts who were “quite content” to bid on the paintings.
Hitler banned the publication of his artwork in 1938.
posted by The Whelk at 10:08 AM on April 7, 2009
Auction house denies that Hitler Paintings are fake.
One explanation may be that they are some of the Hitler “originals” painted by other artists trying to make a buck as he became one of the most prominent politicians in Germany toward the end of the 1920s and into the 1940s. Such paintings brought in up to 10,000 Reichsmarks, the paper said.
Mullock’s does not expect to make much on the sale of Hitler’s artwork, however. “I put very modest estimates on them,” Westwood-Brookes said. “I’ve got estimates of as low as 400 pounds up to 1,000 pounds.” Mullock’s historical expert added that he had been contacted by numerous experts who were “quite content” to bid on the paintings.
Hitler banned the publication of his artwork in 1938.
posted by The Whelk at 10:08 AM on April 7, 2009
DU - I agree with your point that the linking of business interests and Fascism is missing from the review, and it's surprising. The reviewer - a history professor - did use the term Clientelism, but shied away from it's sister, Corporatism - terms that are practically obligatory when a history professor is discussing Fascism. I guess it's because the reviewer is concentrating on the the individuals, or their high-born families at any rate, and not their business interests.
posted by Nick Verstayne at 10:23 AM on April 7, 2009
posted by Nick Verstayne at 10:23 AM on April 7, 2009
Yes, I'm sure it had nothing to do with integrating business interests and government, which is the very definition of "fascism".
Thank God we've moved beyond such things.
posted by codswallop at 10:29 AM on April 7, 2009
Thank God we've moved beyond such things.
posted by codswallop at 10:29 AM on April 7, 2009
Indeed, all three of Hitler’s prized leather whips were presents from high society ladies.
And so begins the worst Hogan's Heroes fanfic ever written...
posted by jonp72 at 6:26 PM on April 7, 2009 [1 favorite]
And so begins the worst Hogan's Heroes fanfic ever written...
posted by jonp72 at 6:26 PM on April 7, 2009 [1 favorite]
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